USA > Vermont > Men of Vermont : an illustrated biographical history of Vermonters and sons of Vermont > Part 68
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Dr. Jones was a leading and consistent member of the Congregational church and had its interests always at heart. For four- teen years he acted as superintendent of the Sunday school.
He married, at Waitsfield, Nov. 17, 1869, Elvira, daughter of Jedediah and Naomi (Joslin) Bushnell, and of this union there were born two sons : Matt B., and Walter E. Dr. Jones died Feb. 9, 1892, not before the people of Washington county, and indeed of the state of Vermont, had learned and appreciated his worth, so that they sorrowed for the loss of a good man, a valuable citi- zen, a wise counsellor, and a trusted friend.
JONES, WALTER FRANK, of West Dover, son of William H. and Diana (Allis) Jones, was born in Dover, April 7, 1840.
His educational advantages were obtained in the common schools of Dover and at Wil- mington high school, from which he gradu- ated in 1860. After the completion of his studies he entered his father's store as clerk, in which he remained for some years, and then took charge of the hotel in West Wards- boro. Remaining there a year, he again returned to his native town and entered into partnership with his father to do a general merchandise trade, which connection lasted seven years.
Mr. Jones was married, April 23, 1862, to Miss Annette, daughter of Levi and Nancy (Rice) Snow, of Somerset. Of this union are two children : Orrin H., and H. Jennie. Mrs. Jones died Dec. 16, 1881. He was united to Martha A., daughter of Wells P. and Mary Ann (Bowker) Allis, who died Dec. 29, 1892, leaving one child : Martha A.
Mr. Jones held the office of postmaster for ten years, being appointed under President Lincoln in 1861, and from time to time has
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JOYCE .
filled nearly every one of the town offices; for ten years he was town clerk and treas-
WALTER FRANK JONES.
urer. He was elected to the General Assem- bly from Dover in 1888, an honor which he again received in 1892.
JOYCE, CHARLES H., of Rutland, son of Charles and Martha E. (Grist) Joyce, was born in Wherwell, England, Jan. 30, 1830.
He came to this country with his parents in 1836, and settled in Waitsfield. He worked on a farm and attended the district school, winters, until he was eighteen years old, when he left the farm and completed his education at the Waitsfield and North- field Academies and at Newbury Seminary.
He was a page in the Vermont House of Representatives three sessions, assistant librarian one year, and librarian one year. He taught school several terms, at the same time pursuing his legal studies under Hon. F. F. Merrill of Montpelier, and the late Col. F. V. Randall of Northfield. He was admitted to the bar of Washington county at the Sep- tember term, 1852, and commenced the prac- tice of law at Northfield in December, 1855. In September, 1856, he was elected state's attorney of Washington county, and re-elected in 1857. During the last year of service as state's attorney he greatly distinguished him- self in the prosecution and conviction of one Ariel Martin, for the murder of two men in Calais. Hon. James Barrett presided at the trial and Martin was defended by Paul Dillingham and Luther L. Durant.
JOYCE.
In June, 1861, he was appointed by Gov. Erastus Fairbanks major of the 2nd Regt. Vt. Vols. Infantry, the first three years' regiment to leave the state, and in June following he was promoted by Governor Holbrook to lieutenant-colonel in the same regiment. He fought gallantly with his regi- ment in the first battle of Bull Run ; at Lees Mills ; at Williamsburgh ; at Golden's Farm ; at Savage Station ; at White Oak Swamp ; at the second Bull Run; and at Fredericks- burg. In several of these battles he was specially mentioned by his superior officers for gallant conduct upon the field. In Jan- mary, 1863, he was compelled to resign his commission on account of a severe disa- bility contracted during the campaign of 1861.
On his retirement from the army Colonel Joyce removed to Rutland and resumed the practice of his profession. At the March
CHARLES H. JOYCE.
term, 1869, of the Rutland county court, the case of State against Ziba, Fred and Horace Plumley for the murder of one John Gilman was tried ; Colonel Joyce had charge of the defence, and his argument for the respond- ents attracted wide attention and placed him at once in the front rank of jury advo- cates in this state. In 1874 he was engaged to assist the state's attorney in the prose- cution of John P. Fair for the murder of one Anne Frieze at Rutland under the most horrible circumstances. The case attracted wide attention and it was said by the daily
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JOYCE.
press of the day that Colonel Joyce's closing argument was a masterly effort and highly appreciated by the bar and the vast audience present at the trial. But probably the great- est effort ever made by him and the most splendid victory he ever achieved at the bar, was in the celebrated case of Calvin S. Inman of Poultney, tried for the shooting of Patrick Sennott, at the September term of Rutland county court, 1889, and acquitted. The colonel made the closing argument for the defence and during its delivery the large court room was packed with people from all parts of the county. A death-like stillness was preserved by the vast audience until he closed, when the deep murmur of applause showed the effect produced by the fiery and eloquent words of the advocate. The Rut- land Daily Herald speaking of the argument said : "Colonel Joyce was eloquent and im- pressive. It was the effort of his life. He was inspiring ; he was pathetic ; and with the magical witchery of a silver tongue he painted a portrait so touching, so saddening that at times there was scarcely a dry eye in the audience. Again in characterizing the affray, and that which led up to it, he gave full reign to his terrible power of denuncia- tion."
In 1869 he was elected a member of the state House of Representatives from the town of Rutland, and in 1870 was again elected for two years, during which time he was speaker of the House. In 1874 he was elected to Congress from the first congres- sional district, and re-elected in 1876, 1878 and 1880. Colonel Joyce took an active part during his eight years service in the national House of Representatives, in the discussion of most of the important ques- tions which came before Congress. In 1876 he made speeches on the death of Vice- President Wilson ; on the presentation of the statue of Ethan Allen ; on early resumption of specific payments ; on the centennial cele- bration of the American independence ; in 1878 on the repeal of the resumption act and the remonetization of silver; on the election of President and Vice-President ; on the tariff ; on an amendment to the Mexi- can war pension bill, to exclude rebels from the pension roll; in 1879, on the policy of the Democrats in forcing an extra session of Congress by failing to pass the regular ap- propriation bills ; in 1880, on commercial reciprocity between this country and Canada ; on the alcoholic liquor tariff ; and in 1882, on Chinese immigration ; on the apportion- ment of representatives to the national Con- gress ; and on the policy of the government in relation to pensions. Many of these speeches attracted the attention not only of the people of Vermont, but of the whole country and were widely circulated.
JUDEVINE.
In politics Colonel Joyce has always been an earnest, thorough-going Republican, and has in every presidential campaign since 1852 done effective work upon the stump for his party, not only in Vermont, but in New Hampshire, Connecticut, Indiana and New York.
He has long been ranked among the lead- ing platform orators in the country ; a fine voice, an earnest, impressive manner, a thor- ough knowledge of his subject, and a firm conviction of the truth of what he utters, are among the elements which make him one of the most eloquent and effective speakers be- fore a popular audience in this country.
During all the years of his busy and labor- ious life, in his profession and in Congress, he has found time to respond to all the num- erous calls made upon him for the 4th of July orations, addresses at agricultural fairs, Memorial Day addresses, and lectures upon a great variety of subjects. He has always been a close and thorough student and a keen and interested observer of men and things. His favorite books outside of the law, are the Bible, Shakespeare, Milton, Bun- yan's Pilgrim's Progress, Scott's works and Dickens', while history, biography, political economy and general literature make up the catalogue. The esteem in which Colonel Joyce has always been held by the people of his adopted state is fully shown by the posi- tions of trust and honor to which they have so often called him.
He was married, Feb. 21, 1853, to Rouene Morris, daughter of Gurdon and Laura (Scott) Randall, of Northfield. Of this union there are now living one son and one daughter. The son, Charles Pitt F., gradu- ated at Princeton in 1887 and at Dartmouth Medical College in 1892. The daughter, Inez Rouene (educated at Tilden Seminary, Lebanon, N. H., and Temple Grove, Sara- togo, N. Y.), was married, March, 1877, at Washington, D. C., to Theron C. Crawford of Michigan.
JUDEVINE, HARVEY, of West Concord, son of Cornelius and Lucy (Wetherbee) Judevine, was born in Concord, March 28, 1820. The name of Judevine has been prom- inent in the annals of the town of Concord for almost a century. Cornelius Judevine came thither in 1805, was the first merchant who settled there, and had a large and pros- perous trade, yet he found some leisure to attend to public affairs, for he represented the town in the state Legislature twice. The maternal grandfather of Harvey, Capt. Samuel Wetherbee, was a captain in the Revolutionary war and married Susannah Johnson, who with her father's family was captured by the Indians, August 29, 1754, at Charlestown, N. H. She had a sister named
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KELION,
Captive (from the fact that she was born on the march of the prisoners to Canada ) .
C
HARVEY JUDEVINE
Harvey Judevine passed through the usual educational course in the common schools,
and then was admitted to the Concord gram- mar school. He also attended the academy in Plymouth, N. H.
At the time of his majority, Mr. Judevine became practically the superintendent in the management of his father's affairs until the death of the latter in 1862. For years he has been in active business, being engaged in the manufacture of lumber. He is best known however, as a real estate operator and farm manager and is the owner of a very exten- sive property including no less than seven different farms.
On the 23d of August, 1846, he was united in marriage to Florilla Jane, daughter of Rev. Josiah Morse of Concord. Their only child, Luthera M., died at the age of sixteen. Mr. Judevine contracted a second alliance, Feb. 27, 1861, with Angie, daughter of Ebenezer and Lepha (Joslin) Holbrook, also of Concord.
Mr. Judevine is a staunch Republican, and, beginning with constable, has held al- most every town office and is now chairman of the board of school directors. He was. representative from Concord in 1865 and fifteen years later senator for Essex county,. serving in the Senate on the grand list committee.
He is of a marked and original personal- ity, serious and reflective, but with an under- lying and spontaneous vein of wit and humor. For nearly half a century his influence in town affairs has been extensive and contin- uous.
KELTON, FRANCIS P., of East Mont- pelier, son of Samuel S. and Ursula (Sprague) Kelton, was born in East Montplier, May 6, 1841. The name of Kelton has been well known and honored in this town for three generations. The grandfather of Francis P. settled in town in 1798. His son Samuel S. Kelton was prominent in official affairs for sixteen years ; was assistant judge of Wash- ington county court for two years. He moved to Montpelier in 1876 and died there March, 1892.
Francis P. was born and reared on the paternal homestead, receiving such educa- tion as the common schools afforded, sup- plemented by a course of instruction at Dr. Spaulding's Academy at Barre.
He married, Jan. 19, 1876, Joanna A., daughter of Capt. Edwin J. and Mary (Wig- glesworth) Colby of Salisbury, Mass., of which marriage there is issue : Mary H., Raymond A., and Robert S.
Mr. Kelton has successfully pursued the vocation of a farmer on the farm which his father occupied. He has made a specialty of dairy products and raising thoroughbred Jerseys. Here he lives, respected by his
FRANCIS P. KELTON
23I
KELTON.
townsmen, all of whom recognize his private worth and hearty interest in all good works.
He belongs to the majority party of the state, has been selectman and held other civil offices, as well as representing East Montpelier in the state Legislature in 1890.
KELTON, TRUMAN CHITTENDEN, of East Montpelier, son of Naum and Fanny (Vincent) Kelton, was born in the town of Montpelier, May 11, 1817. The father was an early pioneer, born in Warwick, Mass., 1778, coming to Montpelier in 1798. He was an excellent farmer, a successful teacher and five times a representative of the orig- inal town of Montpelier.
The son received his education in the common schools and learned the trade of a mason, which he followed for more than thirteen years. He is, however, better known as a farmer and business man. He has successfully cultivated an estate of more than two hundred acres, the basis of which has been owned and occupied by the Kelton family for nearly a century. He is esteemed a man of excellent judgment and thoroughly conscientious in every work he undertakes.
TRUMAN CHITTENDEN KELTON,
Such a man would naturally and properly be sought for public office, accordingly we find him acceptably filling the positions of town treasurer for fourteen years, town clerk thirty-one years, and justice of the peace twenty-five years ; while in 1863 and 1864 he was called upon to represent East Mont- pelíer in the Legislature.
KEMP.
In 1846 he married Emeline E., daughter of Joel and Ruba ( Metcalf) Bassett. Their · marriage has been blessed with six children, five of whom survive: George, Herbert, Henry, Fanny (Mrs. A. D. Coburn), Walter (deceased), and Edwin, all residing in this vicinity.
In recent years he has acted as a local counsel in business affairs, has executed nearly all deeds required in his neighbor- hood, performed all the offices of a convey- ancer and settled more than twenty-five estates, some of them involving extensive interests.
KEMP, DEAN GUSTAVUS, of Montpelier, son of Phineas A. and Betsey ( Blanchard) Kemp, was born in Worcester, Nov. 8, 1841.
DEAN GUSTAVUS KEMP.
He resided with his father until he was about eighteen years of age, and spent his time in attendance at the district school and in hard work on the farm. He then went to Montpelier, and became a pupil in the Wash- ington county grammar school. In 1862 he entered the office of Dr. W. H. H. Richard- son, as a medical student, and afterwards attended a course of lectures at the Bellevue Hospital Medical College of New York City, where he graduated March 26, 1866, and commenced the practice of his profession with his first instructor. Soon after, he pur- chased the residence of Dr. Richardson and succeeded him in a large and successful prac- tice, ¡which he retains to the present time.
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KENHIELD.
KENISTON.
Dr. Kemp was a member of the board of ex. amining physicians for pensions under the administrations of Presidents Garfield, Arthur. and Harrison, and has been for years the treasurer of the Vermont Medical Society and was its president in 1886. He has been sec- retary of the Montpelier school board for several years and is a director of the Mont pelier Electric Light and Power Manufact- uring Co.
Ile was married to Annette C., daughter of George W. and Laura (Cady) Maxham, of Northfield, Sept. 5, 1866.
In politics he is a Republican ; and is a member of Bethany Congregational church.
KENFIELD, FRANK, of Morrisville, son of Asaph and Eliza (Shephard) Kenfield, was born in Sterling, now a part of Morristown, March 13, 1838. George Kenfield, the grandfather of Frank, was a soldier of the Revolution. Asaph was the first male child born in Morristown, and followed farming as his life occupation. He was born June 26, 1794, and died Oct. 11, 1866.
FRANK KENFIELD.
Frank was educated in the common schools, and at the People's Academy, Morrisville. After he was of age, he went to Massachusetts for a year, where he taught school and then made a tour of observation through the West and South. In the spring of 1860 he returned from his wanderings, built a saw mill at Morristown Corners and commenced the lumber business, but this
was interrupted by the call to arms, that resounded through the land in 186).
Hle enlisted Sept. 24, 1862, as a private in Co. E, 13th Regt. Vt. Vols., was immedi- ately elected 2d lieutenant, and soon after promoted to be ist lieutenant. He was with his regiment every day of its service, and when General Pickett made his furious charge at Gettysburg he had the good fortune to capture a confederate captain, whose sword is still in his possession. In the latter part of this engagement he received a severe wound. On his recovering he again entered the service, recruited Co. C., 17th Regt., was commissioned its captain, and mustered in, Feb. 8, 1864. The third attempt at battalion drill of this regiment was on the bloody field of the Wilderness, and there Captain Kenfield was again severely wounded, sent to the hospital at Fredericksburg and allowed a thirty-days' furlongh. At the battle of Petersburg Mine, July 30, 1864, his company was almost annihilated, and he was captured and sent to Columbia, S. C. After seven months' imprisonment he was trans- ferred to Wilmington, N. C., and paroled. He was mustered out of U. S. service, May 15, 1865.
Since his return from the army Captain Kenfield has been actively engaged in mer- cantile pursuits, but more recently he has given attention to farming and stock and produce buying.
He has been entrusted with nearly every town office, and was sent to the Legislature in 1884, where he served on the general and military committees. He was influential in securing the appropriation for the soldiers' home, and was appointed one of its trustees. He holds the office of assistant quarter- master-general of the department of Vermont G. A. R.
He married, Sept. 5, 1866, Lamott C., daughter of Lomis and Catherine Wheelock of Montpelier ; she died in 1872, leaving one daughter, Kate B. (Mrs. Carl Smith). Feb- ruary 9, 1874, he formed a second alliance with Mrs. Margaret Lyman, daughter of David and Ann Cruller.
Captain Kenfield is a member of the Loyal Legion, and has served as commander of J. M. Warren Post, G. A. R., of Morris- ville. For more than thirty years he has been numbered among the brotherhood of Free Masons.
KENISTON, NATHAN, of Greensboro, son of Nathan and Grace (Currier) Kenis- ton, was born in Cabot, Feb. 5, 1816. His father was a native of Portsmouth, N. H., and was one of the earliest settlers of Cabot.
The son received his scanty education in the district school and remained at home till he was twenty-two years of age when he
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KENISTON.
removed to Greensboro and was employed as laborer on a farm in that vicinity, but be- ing desirous to see something of the world outside the narrow circle to which his pre- vious life had been limited, he walked with a companion to Boston, a distance of more than two hundred miles, where he engaged in the occupation of brick making in the summer season while he drove a general delivery wagon between Dover and Boston during the winter. He remained in Boston and vicinity about five years, then returned to Greensboro, where he bought a small farm which he managed most successfully in spite of the serious apprehension of his friends that he would fail in this attempt, but this word was not to be found in his dictionary and he struggled on, bought ad- joining land - in all, five hundred acres- and devoting a large part of his efforts to dairy products, brought this enterprise to a pros- perous issue by his unflagging zeal and indus- try. In addition to his ordinary occupation he plied the trade of brick mason and plasterer and as he had no rival in the place he did a remunerative business. In 1858 he bought the grist mill at Greensboro Village, made exten- sive repairs and thus had another source of in- come ; not content he added to his other properties a saw mill privilege, built and equipped the mill with the first circular saw ever used in the place, then took as a partner Hiram Blaisdell. These mills they afterwards exchanged for a large agricultural property in Hardwick. Having obtained some knowl- edge of the trade of carpenter and joiner, he abandoned his farm in Greensboro and built the house where he now resides in Greens- boro Village and in addition erected other dwellings in that place and St. Johnsbury.
Mr. Keniston was married, May 4, 1845, to Abigail, daughter of Zaccheus and Jennet (Atwood) Thompson, who died Nov. 12, 1866. He was a second time wedded, August 19, 1868, to Mary E. Ellsworth, daughter of Charles B. and Abigail (Cobb) Field. No children have been the fruit of either union, but in 1848 he adopted Elloit F. Rollins, who lost his life in the war of the rebellion, and in 1871 he adopted Myrtie Thompson who died about two years later.
In political choice he has been a life-long Democrat, yet has never desired or sought preferment. He has been elected justice of the peace, member of the school board and highway surveyor. In 1851 he united with the Congregational church and he has ever been a generous donor to the society in Greensboro as well as a liberal contributor to home and foreign missions, with which he has especially identified himself by becoming an honorary member of the American board and making Mrs. Keniston a life member of the American Home Missionary Society.
KIMBALL.
Mr. Keniston is the last survivor of a verv large Bible class and has always taken a lively interest in church affairs, but his generous heart does not confine itself to the outward forms of religion, for his kindly charity is extended to all in need or sorrow.
KEYES, THOMAS C., of Newbury, son of Freeman and Emeline C. (Jewett ) Keyes, was born in Newbury, Jan. 1, 1844.
He was educated chiefly at Newbury Seminary, and then passed through a course of instruction at the Commercial and Colle- giate Institute of New Haven, Conn.
In 1864 Mr. Keyes was admitted as a partner in the mercantile firm of F. & H. T. Keyes & Co., and since his father's death in 1871, he has owned and continued the business.
He is a Republican in his political sym- pathies, and was appointed postmaster in 1875, which office he continued to hold for ten years. He was elected to represent Newbury in the House in 1886, and has long been a member of the Republican town committee.
Mr. Keyes was united in marriage, Nov. 24, 1881, in Chicago, Ill., to Martha P., daughter of John and Elizabeth (Hosmer) Morse, of St. Johnsbury.
KIMBALL, ROBERT JACKSON, of Ran- dolph, son of Hiram and Jerusha (Bradish) Kimball, was born in Randolph, Feb. 16, 1836. His ancestors were English and his grandfather and great-grandfather both served in the Revolutionary war in Col. Samuel B. Webb's 3d Conn. Regt. His grandfather removed from Pomfret, Conn., to Randolph about the year 1795.
He was educated at the West Randolph Academy and commenced business at the early age of thirteen as a newsboy on the Vermont Central R. R. ; was afterwards a telegraph operator and expressman and has been interested in telegraph and railroad en- terprises to a considerable extent ever since, and is now director in the old Vermont & Boston Telegraph Co. He engaged in the banking business at Toronto, Canada, in 1862 and in 1865 established a banking house in New York, which still continues as R. J. Kimball & Co. In 1872, owing to a great decline in securities, he was unable to meet his engagements in full and settled with his creditors within forty-eight hours after his failure by the payment of twenty-five cents on the dollar and received his discharge from any further obligation. In ISSI he paid the other seventy-five per cent together with nine years' interest at six per cent, the whole amounting to many thousands of dollars.
He was an aid-de-camp on Governor
KING.
KING.
Dillingham's staff, 1888 to 1890 ; represented the town of Randolph in the Legislature in 18go and 1891, and served on the committee of ways and means, banks, and special joint committee on the World's Columbian Expo- sition, and was consular agent at Toronto in 1864. He is vice president of the State Republican League, also the Republican ('lub at Randolph, and a trustee of the State Normal School at Randolph.
Hle married Martha 1 .. , daughter of Charles A. Morse, in 1863.
While he has for many years been a mem-
ROBERT JACKSON KIMBALL.
ber of the Baptist church, his liberal support to the cause has not been confined to that denomination. He has shown his gener- osity and public spirit in many ways in differ- ent enterprises in his native town. He has a home in Brooklyn, N. Y., where he was instrumental in forming a flourishing society of Vermonters, of which he was made presi- dent, and is connected as a trustee in various important religious, charitable and other in- stitutions in that city. He has maintained his home in West Randolph since 1864.
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